Lucas Malet 
The History of Sir Richard Calmady 
Queer Classic

‘The History of Sir Richard Calmady’ describes the quest for love and acceptance of its disabled protagonist Sir Richard. In order to dissipate a family curse and to get over a failed engagement, Richard travels far and beyond and leads a life of utter dissipation. However, he quickly gets bored and returns home. His marriage of convenience to his lesbian cousin Honoria St Quentin adds another dimension in his life. What is Richard’s destiny? Who is Honoria attracted towards?

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Lucas Malet (1852—1931) was the pseudonym of Mary St Leger Kingsley, a Victorian novelist. Of her novels, The Wages of Sin and The History of Sir Richard Calmady were especially popular. Malet’s fin de siecle novels offer ‘detailed, sensitive investigations of the psychology of masochism, perverse desires, unconventional gender roles, and the body.’ Malet lived for most of her life on the Continent with the singer Gabrielle Vallings. Vallings, much younger than Malet, was the author’s cousin, romantic companion and adopted daughter. The two traveled abroad frequently together, including spending significant time in France. Malet spent much of the end of her life in France where she was a part of ‘high literary circles.’ She wrote frequently during this time, often out of economic necessity. Despite her tremendous critical and economic success during the height of her career, Malet died in penury